Aero Vintage Books

I just posted an update on the restoration/rebuilding of B-17G 44-85813 at Urbana, Ohio, by the Champaign Air Museum. Good progress continues on the construction of the right wing inboard section and work is starting now on the left inboard wing section. https://www.aerovintage.com/2023/08/16/b-17g-...

It was never a Tallmantz aircraft. It was The Air Museum (Planes of Fame).

Okay, thanks for the additional information and clarification.

This photo was taken on Tuesday, August 1, in one of the restoration hangars at the NMUSAF. The fuselage and inner wing sections of B-17G 42-32076...better known as Shoo Shoo Baby , remain packed up ready for the NASM to come and get them. Rumor at the NMUSAF is that will be soon, but nothing yet ab...

One more update, this one of the B-17D at the restoration facility at the NMUSAF. I had the chance to take a close look at the airplane and the progress being made on the reassembly and preservation of the sole-remaining intact early shark-fin B-17. https://www.aerovintage.com/2023/08/07/b-17d-40-30...

I had the opportunity to spend some time with Mike Kellner and team members working to restore the B-17E/XC-108A at Marengo, IL. I just posted an update with some photos here: https://www.aerovintage.com/2023/08/05/b-17e-41-2595-restoration-update-july-29-2023/ I had some outdated pages on my aerovi...

Whoa...re-tail. I wish I had thought of that. No, no idea where the vertical came from. There was a suggestion that a third vertical is actually involved...one that is being painted now, but I'm not so sure.

I just posted an update on B-17G 44-85740 (EAA's Aluminum Overcast ) that I had a chance to check out during Oshkosh week. https://www.aerovintage.com/2023/08/02/update-on-b-17g-44-85740-aluminum-overcast-july-25-2023/ The disassembled B-17 was temporarily pulled out of the EAA maintenance hangar fo...

Thanks for posting that. I spent a bit of time with Fred Johnsen at Oshkosh. He has a forthcoming book on drones that will contain a lot of information on the QB-17 drones used from 1946 until 1959.

That photo of the 12 O’clock High airplane is the first time I’ve seen that view.

Thanks for that. I looked but could not find. I see he commanded the Bengal Air Depot. Curious to find out (most likely never will) if the YC-108 was actually assigned to him or just passing through.

I added a post about an obscure civil B-17F that turns out to have a few interesting details: It was the sole YC-108 ( 42-6036 ) It appears it was assigned a civil registration of N15585 in February 1945 while still an Army aircraft for, possibly, diplomatic purposes. It appears it was assigned to G...

If you have not done so already, I'd suggest a close read of the sections on Bendix turret development contained in the "Development of Aircraft Gun Turrets in the AAF 1917-1944", AAF Historical Study No. 54 issued in June 1947. Link to the study: https://www.afhra.af.mil/Portals/16/documents/Studie...

Timeline is fuzzy but basically as long as it takes to raise $9 million to pay for it. These restoration projects are pay as you go.

Though nothing really new to report, I did have a chance to take a close look at B-17G 44-85718 (N900RW) undergoing heavy maintenance at Madras, Oregon, with the Erickson Aircraft Collection guys. The airplane basically remains in storage awaiting some new parts to arrive. Out of courtesy to the guy...

Sentimental Journey is airworthy once again. It has been grounded by an FAA AD since June 1 while awaiting FAA approval of the method used to conduct a mandated inspection of a component in the wing attach structure. It received the FAA blessing yesterday (Friday) and is now enroute to join the CAF...